producer

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A person, company or country that makes goods or grows food in order to sell it.

   Grammar: Often followed by of: a producer of olive oil, a major producer of coffee.

   Patterns

   • a producer of something

   Brazil is the world's largest producer of coffee.

   The farm is a small producer of organic honey.

   Local producers sell their cheese at the Saturday market.

2. 2nouncountable

   The person who organizes the money, people and planning needed to make a film, play, TV show or music recording.

   Grammar: Differs from a director, who handles the creative side: the producer manages the project.

   Patterns

   • the producer of something

   The producer raised funds for the film from three investors.

   She worked as a radio producer for the news team.

   The album's producer helped the band shape the final sound.

3. 3nouncountablebiology

   In ecology, a living thing, such as a plant, that makes its own food and supplies energy to a food chain.

   Grammar: Contrasts with consumer in a food chain.

   Patterns

   • a producer in a food chain

   Green plants are producers because they make food from sunlight.

   In the ocean, tiny algae act as the main producers.

   Without producers, a food chain would have no energy source.

Word forms

Common combinations

major producer

Canada is a major producer of maple syrup.

executive producer

The executive producer approved the budget.

record producer

The record producer worked with the singer for months.

oil producer

Several oil producers agreed to cut output.

producers and consumers

The lesson explained how producers and consumers depend on each other.

Synonyms and how they differ

manufacturer

Manufacturer suggests making goods in a factory, while producer also covers farming, mining and entertainment.

maker

Maker is a plain everyday word, whereas producer sounds more commercial or industrial.

grower

Grower applies only to crops, while producer covers any kind of goods.

impresario

Impresario is an old-fashioned word for someone who organizes concerts or theater, while producer is the standard modern title.

Opposites

Word family

produce verb

to make or create something

produce noun

fresh fruit and vegetables

production noun

the process of making goods or a show

productive adjective

achieving or making a lot

product noun

something that is made or grown for sale

Commonly confused: producer or director?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “producer”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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